Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008 (World Health Organization). Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumors and neoplasms. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. The growths often invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant sites. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer. Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 13.1 million deaths in 2030.
Cancer treatment requires a careful selection of one or more interventions, such as surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. The goal is to cure the disease or considerably prolong life while improving the patient's quality of life.
Radiations of various forms such as X-Rays, gamma-Rays, UV-Rays, laser light, microwaves, and electron beams as well as particle beams of, for example neutrons, carbon ions and protons, have been used to treat malignant diseases. Some of said radiations have been used in such applications, in combination with radiosensitizers. Electromagnetic and ionizing radiations are indeed capable to break the DNA molecule of the cell, thereby preventing said cell from growing and dividing. This effect can be explained by the action of particles or wave which will create ionization that releases electrons and free radicals travelling within a defined volume and generating energy deposit into this volume.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,934 B2 relates to a method for enhancing the effects of radiations directed to a tissue or a population of cells in an animal. This method comprises a step of administering an amount of metal nanoparticles to said animal to achieve a concentration in said tissue or said population of cells of the animal of at least about 0.1% metal by weight; and then a step of irradiating the animal with radiation directed to said tissue or said population of cells, wherein said radiation is in the form of X-rays of about 1 keV to about 25,000 keV.
WO 2011/127061 A1 relates to a method for enhancing the effect of radiation directed to a tissue or a population of cells comprising the steps of: (1) administering to an animal an amount of high-Z particles, the high-Z particles comprising a targeting molecule with an affinity for a targeted tissue or a targeted population of cells and a high-Z element; and (2) subsequently irradiating the targeted tissue or targeted population of cells with ionizing radiations; wherein the high-Z particles are administered to the animal in an amount sufficient to achieve a concentration in the targeted tissue or targeted population of cells of less than 0.05% metal by weight.
Inventors herein provide a new and powerful strategy to use their nanoparticles (herein below described) which are able to achieve a very efficient alteration or destruction of target cancerous cells in combination with ionizing radiations, when said nanoparticles are adequately selected and concentrated inside the targeted cancer site, as herein demonstrated.